This artists' atelier and office building in São Paulo, Brazil features a facade covered in plants sustained by a network of tubes that provide mist at regular intervals. Designed by <a href="http://triptyque.com/" target="_blank">Triptyque</a> and dubbed <a href="http://www.triptyque.com/harmonia/" target="_blank">Harmonia 57</a>, the unique office building is set amidst a creative neighborhood on the west side of São Paulo. Two volumes make up the building, which is clad in a porous concrete skin with pockets for plants. A complex water recycling network collects rainwater and grey water for use in irrigation and toilets, while a <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/green-roof" target="_blank">green roof</a> helps minimize storm water runoff.

1

Harmonia 57

The artists' atelier and office building features a facade covered in plants and wrapped in a network of tubes that provide mist at regular intervals.

2

Harmonia 57

The unique office building is set amidst a creative neighborhood on the west side of São Paulo.

3

Harmonia 57

A complex water water network collects rainwater and grey water and recycles it for use as irrigation and toilets, while a green roof helps minimize storm water runoff.

4

Harmonia 57

A misting system supplied by recycled water irrigates the plants on the facade.

5

Harmonia 57

Large windows, operable shutters, and terraces provide daylight into the interior spaces and lend the building a feeling of lightness.

6

Harmonia 57

Two volumes make up the building, which is clad in a porous concrete skin with pockets for plants.

7

Harmonia 57

The office building and artist atelier was completed in 2008 and recently won the 2010 'Built Environment' award from the Zumtobel Group.

8

Harmonia 57

The front volume is raised and rests on pillars, while the back volume is on a solid foundation and includes a 'bird-like' feature on the roof.

9

Harmonia 57

Porous concrete is used for the facade of the building, which is covered in plants set into pore-like niches and irrigated by a misting system.

10

Harmonia 57

Rainwater is collected from the green roof and grey water is recycled to provide water for toilet flushing and irrigation.

11

Harmonia 57

The network of pipes is integrated into the architecture as an aesthetic feature as well as a functional one -- for example, water pipes are used as handrails along staircases.

12

Harmonia 57 - Elevation

The <a href="http://inhabitat.com/gargantuan-living-wall-with-10000-plants-completed-in-canada/" target="_blank">living wall</a> and green roof act as a buffering skin for the building and serve to insulate the interiors and reduce noise. Plants were chosen based upon both their aesthetics and growing capabilities - some were chosen to provide shade, while others crawl over the surface of the building providing a layer of humidity for other plants.

13

Harmonia 57 - Water Recycling

This diagram explains the complex network of piping, tubes, water collection, and recycling.

14

1/14

Harmonia 57

This artists' atelier and office building in São Paulo, Brazil features a facade covered in plants sustained by a network of tubes that provide mist at regular intervals. Designed by Triptyque and dubbed Harmonia 57, the unique office building is set amidst a creative neighborhood on the west side of São Paulo. Two volumes make up the building, which is clad in a porous concrete skin with pockets for plants. A complex water recycling network collects rainwater and grey water for use in irrigation and toilets, while a green roof helps minimize storm water runoff.